Retainer and dispenser for sanitary tissues



Oct. 12, 1948. H.-L.'ELFNER 2,451,281

- RETAINER AND DISPENSER FOR SANITARY TISSUES Filed March 29, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor A tla meys Oct. 12, 1948. H. L. ELFNER2,451,281,

RETAINER AND DISPENSER FOR SANITARY TISSUES Filed March 29, 1946 I 2Sheets-Sheet 2 27 HENRY LEAF/YER A 1M rneys Patented Oct. 12, 1948RETAINER AND DISPENSER FOR SANITARY ITISSUES Henry L. Elfner,Indianapolis, Ind., assignor of one-half toEmil H. Stein, Marion County,Ind.

Application March29, 1946, Serial'No. 658,043

'4 Claims.

This 'invention relates to a rack universally adaptable for holding anddispensing sanitary tissues and which is particularly adapted forsupporting the box containing such tissues in such a manner that thetissues-may be readil withdrawn individually from the box.

More particularly, it is the aimofthe present invention to provide'arack or holder of the above described character wherein the holder is soconstructed that it will not interfere with removal of the tissues fromtheir original container, which is supported in the holder or rack,through a slit in one side of the container provided for the removal ofthe tissue singularly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder or rack ofextremely simple construction which is capable of bein economicallymanufactured and sold and which is particularly characterized by thefact that it can be quickly and conveniently mounted in a plurality oflocations in which it will be convenient to the user.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a retainer or rackwhich is constructed and arranged so that the boxes containing sanitarytissues may be quickly applied thereto or removed therefrom.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawingswhich illustrate preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of one form of the holder or rack,shown in an applied position and containing a box or package of sanitarytissues;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectionalview taken along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view thereof;

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the rack or holder unmounted and withthe tissue container removed therefrom;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 of a slightly modified form ofthe rack;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the rackshown in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is an end view in elevation showing the rack mounted on awindshield visor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings. and especially to Figures 1to 5, inclusive, l6 designates generally the holder or rack comprisingthe invention. In Figures 1 to 4 the holder or rack I B is shownattached to a supporting surface H, which may be either horizontal orvertical such as a ceiling or wall. A conventional container- 12 fortoilet tissues I3 is shown-mounted in the rack I'B. The package orcontainer l2-as illustrated is of-the-size, shape and construction asconventionally used to package Kleenex or Scott tissues. It is-to beunderstood, however, that the rack l'll may-be made of various sizes foraccommodating a plurality of types of packaged sanitary tissues. Thepackage I2 is provided in one of its wider side walls withalongitudinally extending slit I l, formed in-a conventional manner byrupturing such wall along a perforated-line. The container l2 ismountedin the rack- I Use that the side thereof containing the slit 14 --willbe facing outwardlyand remote to the supporting surface I I.

The rack or -holder HLasbest illustrated in Figure 5, is formed from asingle strand of heat treated and plated relatively heavy gauged-wirethe end portions of which are bent into substantially arched shapedformationand each of which includes an upper. substantially straightportion l5, having at the ends thereof depending legs 16 and IT. Theportions l5, and I6 and 11 const-itut-lug the saidarches are locatedadjacent the ends of the rack l0. The said portions l1 constitute :theterminals of the wire strand and terminate at their lower endsin eyes18, which are located above the level of the lower ends of the legs It.The rack ll) includes corresponding end portions I9 having inturned ends20 and I. The

inturned ends 20 are integral with the lower ends of the legs l6 andconstitute outwardly projecting extension thereof and in conjunctionwith said'legs'lfi constitute the front of the rack or holder" Hi, asclearl illustrated inFigure 1. The inturned ends 2| terminate indownturned portions 22 which, together with the portions 2], the legs I!and the eyes H! are disposed in substantially the same plane, as bestillustrated in Figure 3. The portions 22, attheir lowerends, terminatein outwardly projecting :portions 23 which are disposed below the'levelof and substantially parallel to the portions l9, which lastmentionedportions constitute the outwardly olfset sides or ends of the rack Ill.The intermediate portion 24 of the strand of wire, constituting the rackID, has its ends terminating in the portions 23 and said intermediateportions 24 and the portions 23, as best seen in Figure 3, are disposedin substantially the same plane and together constitute the bottom ofthe rack In.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that conventional drivenor screw fastcnings 25 can be secured through the eyes l8 in the surfaceH for mounting the rack l0 thereon with the surface II to form the backof the rack I0. The

rack I is sufficiently resilient so that one or both of the legs 16 canbe swung outwardly for inserting the package or box l2 into the rack II]or for removing it therefrom. A clearly illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and4, the portions 19 will engage the ends of the box l2, the portion I5will engage the top thereof, portions 16 and 20 will engage the frontthereof and the portions 23, 24 and 25 will engage the bottom toefficiently and effectively support the container I 2 therein. The legs[6 are sufiiciently spaced apart so as not to interfere with dispensingof the tissues l3 through the slot I 4.

The rack l0, previously described, may be mounted on a wall, the undersurface of a table, bench or chair or in any other convenient location.The terminal portions 11 are also sufiiciently resilient to permitmounting the rack ID on a windshield visor 32 by positioning theportions I! on one side of thevisor 32 and. the remainder of the rack H]on the opposite side thereof. When thus disposed, the portions 2| and 22will bear against said opposite side of the visor 32 to cooperate withportions H and 18 in resiliently attaching the rack to the visor.

In Figures 6 and '7 a slightly modified form of rack, designatedgenerally 26, is illustrated. The rack 26 differs from the rack l0 onlyin that instead of the legs II and eyes N3, the terminal portions of thestrand forming the rack 26, designated 21, terminate at their lower,free ends in tapered points '28, The rack 26 is adapted to be usedparticularly in automobiles and may be mounted on any part of theupholstery, visors or lining thereof, as for example on the top or frontof the seat, windshield visors or seats, on either side ofthe back rest,or any portion of the lining of the side, top or doors or beneath thehood and. within the trunk. In Figure 7 a portion Of a vehicle is shownat 29 having a, lining on the inner side thereof through which thepointed ends 28 have been passed at 3| so that the legs 21 are disposedbetween the lining 30 and the vehicle portion 29 for supporting the rack26 removably upon the vehicle. The maner of using the box or package I2in conjunction with the rack 26 is identical with its use in conjunctionwith the rack ID, as previously described. Further, it will be readilyapparent that the rack 26 can be mounted upon a wall, upholstery offurniture or upon any supported piece of fabric such as a curtain or apart of a bed.

Numerous other modifications and changes are contemplated and may beresorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

. V I claim as my invention:

1. In a universally adaptable rack or holder for sanitary tissues, saidrack being formed from a single strand of wire, the intermediate portionof the strand forming the bottom of the rack, the

ends of the strand including arch portions formw ing the front, top andportions of the back of the rack, said strand having portions betweensaid intermediate portion and the arch portions forming the endsor'sides and other portions of the back of the rack, and meansassociated with the first-mentioned back portions of the rack forsecuring it to a supporting surface. 1

2. In a universally adaptable rack or holder for sanitary tissues, saidrack being formed from a single strand of wire, the intermediate portionof the strand forming the bottom of the rack, the ends of the strandincluding arch portions forming the front, top and portions of the backof the rack, said strand having portions betweensaid intermediateportion and the arch portions forming the ends or sides and otherportions of the back of the rack, and means associated with thefirst-mentioned back portions of the rack for securing it to asupporting surface, said side or end portions of the rack beingoutwardly offset relatively to the arch portions.

3. In a universally adaptable rack or holder for sanitary tissues, saidrack being formedfrom a single strand of wire, the intermediate portionof the strand forming the bottom of the rack, the ends of the strandincluding arch portions forming the front, top and portions of the backof the rack, said strand having portions between said intermediateportion and the arch portions forming the ends or sides and otherportions of the back of the rack, and means associated with thefirst-mentioned back portions of the rack for securing it to asupporting surface, said bottom portion of the rack being disposedlongitudi= nally thereof and between the front and rear portions. 7

4. A universally adaptable retainer or holder for sanitary tissues,comprising a single strand of wire bent to provide a bottom portionformed of the intermediate portion of the strand and corresponding endportions forming the front, sides, top and rear portions of the retaineror holder, and means associated with said rear portions for attachingthe retainer to a supporting surface.

HENRY L. ELFNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record. in the file ofthis patent:

Olsen Nov. 3, 1942'

